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Sunday, November 1, 2015

Book Review: Keeper of the Lost Cities Collection by Shannon Messenger

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Wonderful characters and world, gripping story

Cons: You aren’t reading the series yet

The Bottom Line:

Great fantasy books

In convenience collection

Don’t wait; buy today

Immerse Yourself in Sophie’s World with this Collection

If I had more time in my life, I think I would enjoy reading
more fantasy and science fiction. I still get the occasional dose of
that thanks to some of the middle grade books I read. One of my
favorite series is Keeper of the Lost Cities, and if you haven’t started it yet, this collection of the first
three books is the perfect way to get lost in the world.

In the first book in the series, we meet Sophie, a not so
typical twelve-year-old. She is smarter than other kids her age and
even the rest of her family. She has skipped several grades, making
it hard for her to fit in at school. Meanwhile, she is also a
telepath, a skill she has hid for years from her family.

One day all that changes when she catches a boy her age
watching her. The boy is Fitz, and he has shocking new for Sophie –
she isn’t human. When Sophie makes the choice to leave her old life
behind, she enters a world she never knew existed. Along with new
friends and a new school, Sophie also learns she has more secrets in her –
secrets that might help or hurt her new world. What is the truth of
her past? Can she save her new world?

This is just the set up for the first book in the series,
and I’m not going to talk about the plot of books two and
three. Why? This is an ongoing story that builds on the
previous books. I’m not sure how I could talk about the rest of the
series without spoiling things, and I definitely don’t want to do that.

This series is a wonderful ride with twists, surprises,
danger, and action. You won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough
to find out what happens to Sophie and her new friends next. When we
do get answers, they usually lead to more questions.

But the stories wouldn’t be anything without great
characters, and we have those in abundance as well. Over the course
of these three books, we’ve seen relationships grow and change, and I have
grown to love this cast. Well, there are a few that I love to hate,
but I’m supposed to feel that way about them.

Now if you are thinking to yourself, “I’ve read a similar
premise before,” I’ll just tell you that is no reason to skip this
series. There are some unique twists on the premise, and once you
get into the story, you’ll find that the execution and the world that author
Shannon Messenger has created is completely new.

And yes, an entire new world has been created here with some
magical creatures and fun abilities that the characters have. I
enjoy revisiting this world in each book as much as I do the characters and
finding out what happens next to them.

What do you get in this collection? Keeper
of the Lost Cities, Exile, and Everblaze, the first three books in the
series, in paperback. These are not
short novels, clocking in between 500 and 600 pages, each, but those pages fly
by. I never feel like there is wasted
pages in them, and I frequently find myself putting the rest of my life on hold
to find out what happens next.

If you haven’t started the series yet, I’m honestly a bit
jealous. Reading them straight through is a treat, and you’ll finish
all three of them before you know it. Pick up the Keeper of the Lost Cities Collectiontoday, and you’ll be lost in Sophie’s world tomorrow.

Great review! You can still read them straight through. Every time a new book is added, I go back and reread the series straight through so I don't forget the important details -- or at least reread the last book. It's always a treat to get lost in Sophie's world! Did the same thing with Harry Potter. I only do this with the books I really like!

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